Drivers in Milford and Union Township soon will be steering through new traffic roundabouts designed to turn congested intersections into continuously flowing junctions.

Milford is building what Mayor Laurie Howland calls a “mini roundabout” where Chamber Drive and Beechwood Road meet.

“The roundabout will actually make it easier for larger trucks to navigate the intersection, as well as solve a traffic issue in that area,” Howland said.

Construction on the Milford roundabout is to begin in March and end in April.

Howland said roundabouts have become popular as an economical way to solve traffic problems and that city administrators decided to give the mini roundabout a go after a traffic study and help from a private engineer.

Milford will pay Adleta Construction of Lockland about $57,400 to build the roundabout.

If it’s successful, Milford may build more roundabouts in the city, Howland said.

“This mini version will be a good way for the city to assess their use and functionality and see if they might have practical applications in different areas if the need arises,” Howland said.

Union Township

The Clermont County Transportation Improvement District and the Clermont County Engineer’s office are building a $900,000 roundabout on Eastgate South Drive in front of the Jungle Jim’s International Market shopping center and the 32 East retail strip.

The Union Township roundabout is expected to be finished in late spring.

“This will solve the traffic (problem) in a congested intersection of several streets and entrances,” John McGraw, chairman of the Union Township Board of Trustees, said.

“It will make the area much safer and keep traffic flowing instead of (having vehicles) sitting at stop lights, thus reducing our carbon footprint.”

McGraw said the roundabout also will make it easier to shop in the Eastgate area and to attract new business.

In addition, the roundabout will be as pleasing to the eye as it will to the foot on the gas pedal, McGraw said.

“It has decorative concrete and will have landscaping,” McGraw said.

“New decorative street lights are being installed (in the area), which will be a major upgrade to the area.”

According to more detailed information provided by the Clermont County Transportation Improvement, the intersection of Eastgate South Drive and Clepper Lane serves traffic coming from five separate entry points - three public roads and two private property drives.

Plans are to remove the existing signalized intersection and replace traffic signals with the roundabout.

The project will extend an additional 500 feet from the center of the intersection in each direction and additional work will be completed along Clepper Lane to create a landscaped median and center turn lane.